Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 August 2023   1 Samuel 1:10.

11 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 Samuel 1:10.        And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore (in anguish).

And in our enthusiastic shout today of: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s finally here!’ let’s also be thankful that it’s such a beautiful day too; bright, sunshiny and cool! Wow! You can’t ask for much more than that, a beautiful Friday to end the work week. And we’d better enjoy it too, because in the next three or four weeks we most likely won’t be crowing so loudly on a Friday morning. (smile) 

And what does the Lord want us to talk about today eh? Well, it looks like Samuel, because that’s where the Good Library opened this morning. And what’s there to say about Samuel? The first thing to note is that he was the first prophet to show up in Israel for a long time. The scholars explain that ‘The severity of Israel’s apostasy (turning away from God) (cf. Judg. 21:25) caused a dearth of God’s revelatory work. The condition was perpetuating and self-defeating (cf. Prov. 29:18). By God’s grace the prophetic institution would receive renewed impetus and standardization in the person and work of Samuel (cf. 3:21; 19:20).’ 

So, Samuel was a very welcome and needed person in the early annals of Israel. For as the Book of Judges tells us: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ (Judg. 21:25). Sort of like what’s happening now eh? All of us want to do what we think is right in our eyes, and that’s why there’s so much chaos in the world. That’s why Cousin Sol’s words in Proverbs are also so noteworthy. He correctly proclaims: ‘Where there is no vision (prophetic vision or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraints): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’ (Prov. 29:18) 

And is that ever the gospel truth my people, as we are seeing right now in this chaotic, doh-care, do whatever I want day and age! Meanwhile the scholars explain that ‘Vision refers to the divine revelation received by the prophet. Morality is based on adherence to God’s revealed will.’ That tells me that we have very little or no revealed will of God at this time because our moral state is despicable. Our morality is almost non-existent, as few of us seem to consider morals important in these days of anything goes. Our moral compass has fled south, as it were. 

But getting back to Samuel. He was one of those hand-picked from the womb. The story goes that his mother Hannah was barren, unable to have children, and as is usually the case, her husband Elkanah’s other wife made fun of her because she was barren. But one day in the temple of Shiloh where the family had gone to make their yearly worship and sacrifice, she simply couldn’t take it anymore. 

The Bible says: ‘And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore (in anguish). And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come up on his head.’ (1 Sam. 1:10-11) 

Now that’s a mighty powerful prayer and vow to make to Almighty God, and many of us do it in our desperate circumstances, but also, many of us don’t keep our vows when we get our prayer request. And that’s about the worst thing we can do with God, for as Cousin Sol declares (steups!!!) as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5) 

Thankfully for Israel and for us though, Hannah did keep her vow when the Lord granted her request, and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom she named Samuel. And to show how wonderful, faithful, great and generous is our God, the Bible tells us: ‘And the Lord visited (attended to) Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 2:21) 

Mama Mia! She asked for one son but got three sons and two daughters! That’s the largesse of our great God to those who hold Him dear to their hearts. It’s like Cousin Sol when he became king, asked for wisdom and strength to guide his people Israel, but in addition to what he asked for, the Lord also gave him riches, and honour untold. And there’s much more to be said about Samuel, which we’ll do tomorrow, if God spares life. But we’ll end with this interesting note. 

While Hannah was praying in the temple for a son, she wasn’t talking out loud, ‘she spake in her heart; only her lips moved.’ (1 Sam. 1:13) Thus Eli, the priest, who was sitting nearby thought that she was drunk and confronted her. ‘And Eli said unto her, how long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 

Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial (a wicked woman): for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.’ (1 Sam 1:14-18) 

Oh friends, yuh see how easy it is to be misunderstood and considered much less than we actually are. So please, let’s not be quick to judge others by what we see, or rather suppose we see on the outside, as is so often the case in these times of quick judgement. But first, please try and get the facts before we say anything negative. or anything at all. Now let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant and ask for divine help with our many problems. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now, let’s get to doing what we know we ought to, if we expect to receive divine help! Much LOVE!

…a nation without morality…is a nation destined to perish… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ        

Today’s Scrip-Bit   4 August 2023 Luke 16:29.

04 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 16:29.       Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Well, it’s Friday, the beginning of the long Caribana weekend in Toronto! And anybody who’s anybody will be out there playing mas! That means I’m not anybody, because I won’t be out there with them. (smile) Too old for it now, and anyway, it’s not as nice as it used to be back in the earlier years. And the day’s begun nice and sunny, let’s hope it’s not as hot as yesterday, because if it is, we’re going to burn up in the hot sun in Lamport Stadium later today at the Pan Alive Festival. 

But look how life’s changed eh? That’s the only Caribana celebration I attend these days. I don’t even know that it’s Caribana unless someone reminds me. But as the old people would say; after one time is two yes! And that’s the indisputable truth. As you grow older you change in manifold ways, forgetting what lies behind, the childish things you did, and reaching forth to what lies ahead.  But however you shake it, the world still declares (yesss!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend, party time is here at last! Glory be!’ 

And with a whisper from the Holy Spirit, I remembered that today we’re going to look at the second part of Jesus’ parable about the rich man and the beggar Lazarus. And believe me, this last part might just be the more important aspect of the parable. Why do I say so? Now, a couple days ago we dealt with the first part that told us about the rich man living the sumptuous life, and Lazarus, the poor beggar, sitting at his gate, chowing down on the crumbs from the rich man’s table, while the dogs licked his many sores. Then both of then died. The beggar went to heaven in Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man went to hell. 

From that scenario of hellfire, the rich man looked up and saw Lazarus ensconced in the bosom of Abrahm and begged him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in some cool water and place it on his tongue, because he was terribly tormented. Abraham informed him that that was impossible because of his record on earth; rich, greedy and ungodly, while Lazarus had suffered without cause. And in any case, there was an impassable gulf between heaven and hell so that no one could pass back and forth. 

And what was the rich man’s reply? ‘Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ (Luke 16:27-28) At last he was thinking of others and not only of himself. And that’s what usually happens when we make mistakes and disaster strikes us. It’s then and only then that we think about family and friends who might make the same unwise decisions. 

Unfortunately though, Abraham’s answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. ‘Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he (the tormented ex-rich man) said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he (Abraham) said unto him (the tormented one), if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.’ (Luke 16:29-31) Ah friends, that says a lot about our reaction to God’s Word and the teaching of the prophets. 

And the scholars note that in vs. 31, ‘If here carries the weight of “since.” They were not paying attention to the light they already had. Hard-heartedness is not necessarily overcome by miraculous signs.’ And you see that very clearly in all the miraculous works that Jesus did, and yet the many who did not believe in Him, whose hearts remained as hard as ever, despite those signs. Oh my people, let’s wake up and realize that after death there is no second chance; no chance then to change our minds and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. So we have to do it now, while we’re alive and we hear the Word. Otherwise crapaud smoke we pipe! 

And the Book of Hebrews tells us quite plainly. ‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for (eagerly wait for) him shall he appear the second time without (apart from) sin unto salvation.’ (Heb. 9:27-28) Yes my fellow saints, we die once, and then the judgement, and Christ comes at some stage bearing salvation. 

Or as the scholars put it: ‘There is no reincarnation: every person gets one chance to prepare. And there’s a comparison between Christ and man. As it is with man, so it was with Christ. As man can die only once, so the Man Christ could die only once as a sacrifice. His relation to humanity would be marred if He had to die more than once. Further, a second comparison seems evident. Beyond death there exists another reality. For man it is the certainty of appearing for judgement: for Christ it is the certainty of appearing with deliverance from condemnation for them that look for (eagerly wait) for him.’ 

I couldn’t have put it any better or clearer friends. And that’s why the second part of the parable is more important than the second; it drives home the reality that we have to make all of our decisions prior to death, or to Jesus’ Second Coming. And now that we fully understand the very important ramifications of that parable, (smile) let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for divine help. 

As one voice.  Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle this unexpected storm properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And let’s not forget, that before we can see divine favour, there must be a godly improvement in our behaviour! Much LOVE!

if man wants to see heaven…he must accept Christ…before he dies…otherwise he’s hellbound… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ           

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 July 2023 Psalm 40:4.

21 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 40:4.       Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Then it was Friday, with all its fanfare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s here!’ And though Friday opened a tad on the cool side, it promises great things, like sunshine and blue skies. But beware, the promises of the weather these days are not very trustworthy, what with all the instability and unpredictability that’s showing up in the disaster we term climate change. (smile) 

Promises on the whole in our unfaithful and distrustful society are no longer worth the paper they‘re written on or the wind on which they’re spoken, because most of them are made to serve selfish and evil purposes. They’re not like the promises of Almighty God who faithfully makes them and never breaks them. 

But sadly, even in these trying times, when many things are not what they seem, we still appear to accept the promises of man more than those of God. Even when the biggest human activity today is fraud and deceit, where scams are prevalent in almost everything, where you’re afraid to pick up your phone because the person on the other side is most likely trying to defraud you out of your life savings or some such ungodly act, we still tend to trust humans more than God. 

And then, when we suffer the irreversible damage, we whine and complain about people not being honest and not keeping promises etc. etc. But haven’t we read the Bible, which warns us so often about trusting man and his offspring. Haven’t we read since Moses was a boy, (smile) what Psalm 118 so directly says: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps. 118:8-9) 

Yes friends, man’s trust can, and will waver, be he an important personage or lowly nobody, simply because he is man; a frail, feeble sinful, greedy and imperfect creation. However, God’s trust will never waver because He is the exact opposite of mankind; strong, holy and perfect! And the Good Library repeats it over and over. So, if you don’t believe me, then let’s look at some of those scriptures which deal directly with the wisdom of trusting God and not man. 

Listen to Bruh David as he writes in Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4) 

There we have it friends, simple and straightforward. You trust in the Lord and He will see you through, because He has the awesome power to do it, whereas mankind doesn’t! Now hear how Isaiah puts it. ‘Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord… Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen (helped) shall fall (perish) together.’ (Is. 31:1, 3) 

That was the Lord’s rebuke to Israel for going down to Egypt for help to fight their enemies without first consulting Him. Then Jeremiah calls it this way. ‘Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man (man’s strength), and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath (a shrub) in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.’ (Jer. 17:5-6) 

Ah mih people, yuh see how the Lord is mightily displeased when we don’t come to Him first in all our endeavours, when we don’t show Him the amazing trust that He deserves! And these words of psalm 146, serve as a fitting end to our scriptures for today.

 ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah), Praise ye the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation). His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever.’ (Ps. 146:1-6) 

Now there’s a perfect picture of the wise man! Please my fellow saints, it’s of the utmost importance, especially in these untrustworthy times, that we don’t put our trust in evil and fragile man, but in the Lord God Almighty who created us and always has our best interests at heart. So, let’s go to the throne of grace now, and through our Friday Chant, ask for divine help to solve our many problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, the best way to get divine help is by changing our ways and becoming obedient to God’s will. Much LOVE!

…trust should only be placed in the trustworthy…that’s God and not man…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ          

Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 July 2023 Luke 19:10.

10 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 19:10.       For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Oh friends, may the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you this Monday morning as you go out to work! And do we ever need divine help to safely earn a living in these times of serious upheaval and disaster in our world, both man-made and natural. It’s difficult enough when you have Christ and His Holy Spirit leading and guiding you, can you imagine how hard it is for those who don’t know them. That’s why we must make every effort to bring as many people as possible to the knowledge of Christ. It’s the only way any of the pain and suffering so rampant in our world right now will ever be alleviated. 

Remember Jesus strong words on the subject when he had lunch with Zaccheus the publican (tax collector) and he repented and promised to repay any whom he had fleeced. ‘And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ (Luke 19:8-10) Yes friends, that was Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth; to save the sick, the lost and the suffering, not so much to save those who consider themselves righteous, like the scribes and Pharisees. 

As we see when he called Levi (Matthew) the publican (tax collector) at his post in the customs department, ‘and said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans (tax collectors) and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured (grumbled) against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans (tax collectors) and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole (healthy) need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Luke 19:27-32) 

The scholars tell us: ‘Levi (Matthew) was evidently celebrating his new faith, and invited former friends to share in the festivities. But the Pharisees held that it was defiling to have dealings, let alone to eat, with people like Levi and his associates. But Jesus was not dealing with the question of whether there are in fact righteous people who need no repentance. By righteous He refers to the Pharisees, who thought they were righteous, and thus felt they had no need to repent. They were truly self-righteous.’ 

And if you really want to see Jesus’ heart to seek and save the lost, just check out the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. (Luke 15) In each instance the person who lost their possession went looking for the one, the single item that was lost, because they considered it important enough not lose any at all. That’s how Jesus and the Father feel about us lost sinners. Peter specifies it in 2 Pet. 3:9. ‘The Lord …is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ 

And Jesus agreed with that when He declared: ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.’ (John 6:38-40) That’s why Jesus left the comfort of heaven to come to earth and sacrifice His sinless life on our behalf. 

And if lost souls were so important to Jesus, then they ought to be very important to us too. Remember when Jesus saw the multitude looking like lost sheep and had compassion on them, then said to the disciples. ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Matt. 9:37-38) Now we are a part of that labour force my people. The Lord has commissioned us to go out and gather in the harvest of lost and suffering souls so that He could mend them and make them whole. 

And though we do need to concentrate on making an earthly living, we also need to think about saving up treasures in heaven by the way we live for Christ. Yes, it does call for some sacrifices on our part, but the Lord will never ask us to do something without giving us the wherewithal to do it. So, if He’s asked us to bring lost souls to Him, then He’s already imbued us with the power to do it through His Holy Spirit. So lets’ get to it nuh. No more flimsy excuses or fear, for as Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7) 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn and plead for divine help to right our troubled world. Altogether now: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 

Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And if we want to see good days, then we have to show obedience and turn from our evil ways. Much LOVE!

…Jesus would never have left heaven…if mankind did not need saving…  Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 July 2023   1 John 2:15a.

07 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 John 2:15a.      LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

Finally it’s Friday, and as always, the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ resonate around the world, possibly with a more grateful heart but less energy in North America after all the exuberant birthday celebrations of the last week. (smile) But now that the celebrations are over, it’s time to move on, move on seriously with wisdom and common sense, and return our world to a state of goodness and godliness without which we’ll just keep slithering down into the bowels of hell, for the evil that’s encumbering the world carries a heavy weight, and with each day that evil predominates, the weight increases. 

And simple logic decrees that our world cannot withstand the ever-increasing weight of sin and evil forever. Now, we all know that it’s the duty of the Christian believer to bring Christ and His good news to the world, which unfortunately, we are not doing at a meaningful rate, thus evil and all its negative associates have become ever so prevalent. 

But that negative and unalluring situation can certainly be forestalled, stopped in its deadly tracks, and our world turned around if we decide to get up and do the job we were placed in this time to do; that is be the salt of the earth and light of the world and show the unbelievers the immense value of knowing Christ and living exclusively for Him. 

Now, yesterday we looked at some scriptures that offer encouragement and show us how to reverse the unwanted situation in which we find ourselves. Today, I want us to look at a few more scriptures that can also help in that monumental but oh so possible with Christ task. Remember, the first lesson we must learn and sincerely believe is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! (Phil 4:13) That is the foundation of the whole process. If we don’t sincerely believe that, then we’re wasting our time trying to make a difference. 

Then the next thing is a scripture we shared yesterday, where Bruh Paul warned the Romans. ‘Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Oh friends, that’s another very important step we need to take in this turnaround situation. We need to stop thinking and acting like the world does, and behave like Christ wants us to.  

Let’s also remember that time is of the utmost importance, for we don’t know when Christ is going to return, but whenever He does, we need to be ready, to have as many people as possible ready and waiting for His return, and right now that number is way too small. The Lord has waited, is still waiting for that number to increase, but His patience won’t last forever. 

As Peter says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief (robber) in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up,’ (2 Pet. 3:9-10) 

That’s at the final judgement friends, not at the rapture of the church. However, we notice a couple things there; first that the Lord doesn’t want any of His creation to perish, thus He’s given them the choice of salvation, of trusting in Him, but we’ve got to get the word to them so they can receive it. Secondly, He’s holding back the day of reckoning so that as many people as possible can be saved, but one day Jesus will return for the rapture of the church, and one day He will return for the eventual judging of the world. 

However, both those climactic events will take place without warning, like a thief in the night, therefore we need to be in a constant state of readiness for whenever it happens. And that’s something we need to make the unbelievers very aware of, time is oh so important, that there can be no hemming and hawing and long moments of thinking about being saved. But enough wandering, (smile) let’s get back to scriptures that will enable us to renew our minds, throw off the old man, our old conduct, and put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:22-24) 

John, in his first epistle, puts it thus. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interest), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Now that’s something we need to pay much more attention to; the world and all therein, all the glitzy, glamourous things that are now holding our rapt attention pass away; but the things of Christ, and those who live for Him, don’t. They last forever. Now do we want to be amongst the things that pass away, or amongst those that live forever? That’s the question we all must answer on an individual basis, and let’s hope and pray that many, most of us will decide to live forever and then get out there into the fields that are white with a great harvest of unbelievers and begin harvesting them, as the Lord of the harvest, Jesus Christ has decreed we do! 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and lay our anxieties before our most merciful and gracious Creator. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

The next move is now in our court; do the things that will cause God to answer our prayers in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…good will always overcome evil…but it must first be set in motion… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 June 2023 Revelation 3:19.

30 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revelation 3:19.      As many as I LOVE, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Well friends, sorry that we’re somewhat late today, but I had some time sensitive errands to run out the street this morning. And the truth be told, they only became time sensitive because I’ve been putting them off all week and couldn’t put them off any longer. I believe that’s called procrastination. And the errands took me longer than I expected, then, when I finally got home, I had to rest a spell before getting to the Bit, which I hope will be short and sweet. (smile) 

And believe me, the shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ was especially loud across Canada today, because it’s not only the end of the work week and the end of June, but that means it’s also the Canada Day long weekend when we celebrate Canada’s illustrious birth and history! Wow! On July 1 we commemorate the anniversary of the Constitution Act, which consolidated three territories into the single nation of Canada, way back in 1867. And yes, our history is comparatively short in contrast to other countries, but it’s been a colorful, turbulent, exciting and fulfilling one. 

Not many other countries can boast of the peace, the diversity and kind-heartedness that underlies its turbulence. Even to this day, we’re more prone to peace than war, and though we’re not free of serious problems, we choose to handle them in a less rambunctious and aggressive manner than many other countries today. Anyway, enough of singing the praises of Canada. We’re far from perfect, but we’re still one of the best big countries in the world! Glory Be! 

And since I had nothing specific to talk about today, I opened the Good Library, looking for guidance, and it didn’t disappoint me. It never does! It opened unto the Book of Job to chapter 5; where Job’s friend Eliphaz is speaking these immortal words: ‘Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.’ (Job 5:17-18) 

And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! Our God LOVES us too much to allow us to get away with all the shenanigans that we indulge in. It’s just like we parents correct our children when they do wrong. There are various methods of correcting, but the aim is always to bring them to heel with LOVE! We oftentimes call that Tough LOVE. Well, it’s the same way our God looks at our behaviour and decides how to correct our ungodly or disobedient behaviour. As the ole people so nicely put it: if you don’t hear, you will feel. That’s a godly metaphor. (smile) 

And the sad part is that too many parents of our generation didn’t use that tough LOVE on our children, that’s why so many of them are so ungodly and disobedient now. And we only have ourselves to blame for all the nonsense they are carrying on with now. Our children don’t like us correcting them, neither do we like it when the Lord corrects us in a manner that hurts either our pride or physical person, but it’s ever so necessary to keep us on the straight and narrow path, so we don’t veer on to the wide and winding one that leads to hellfire and damnation. 

And there are several scriptures in the Good Library that tell us basically the same thing. So, let’s look at a few of them. This first one comes from Psalm 94, titled, ‘Vengeance Belongs to the Lord, and says: ‘The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity (futile). Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest (instructeth), O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law. That thou mayest give him rest (relief) from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.’ (Ps. 94:11-13) 

Yes friends, the Lord looks out for us. He knows our sinful and futile thoughts and instead of letting us go down that wrong road, pulls us back, and guides us safely to His word. We might not like it, but it’s in our best interest. (smile) Then there are these monumental words of Cousin Sol in that monumental Chapter 3 of Proverbs. ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his corrections: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:11-12) 

Words of indisputable truth and wisdom, my people! Words we should take to heart and remember every time the Lord corrects us, it’s because He LOVES us! And the author of Hebrews must have known those words, for many years later He reminds his readers of them in his own way. ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons), My son, despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord LOVETH, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:5-6) 

And I hope hearing it once more in an even tougher manner, will set it deep in our hearts, so that we won’t rebel when the Lord disciplines us. And the last word on the subject comes quite appropriately from Jesus in His message to the church at Laodicea. He warns: ‘As many as I LOVE, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.’ (Rev. 3:19) Now we couldn’t conclude with a more appropriate scripture. So let’s do exactly what Jesus said and repent. Let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant and release all our heartfelt pain, while asking for divine help. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s get busy and do what we know we have to do to entail heavenly help! Much LOVE!

…if you don’t correct me when I do wrong…it means you don’t LOVE me… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 June 2023 Luke 9:23.

23 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 9:23.      If any man will come after me (desires to follow me), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And our beloved day of Friday has been greeted all over the globe with glorious shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But I’m wondering, are we truly thankful to Almighty God for the day, or are we just mouthing something that shows up the selfish lusts of our flesh. I tend to believe it’s the latter, since we are only enamoured of Friday because it means that our work week is almost over. We obviously don’t say ‘Thank God it’s Monday!’ because Monday is the beginning of the bane of our existence; work. (smile) 

Ah friends, because of all the amenities that our advanced society has provided us, we have lost the wonderful elements of belly and backbone that our forefathers had so much of, and needed it to survive each and every day of their lives. Nowadays we’ve become so soft and mamby pamby that we complain about every little difficulty that comes our way. Life has become too easy for us, and that ease has made us frail, fragile, whiny and ever complaining. beings. We give up on a problem way too easily. Remember the parable Jesus spoke unto His listeners, that men ought always to pray and not to faint or lose heart. (Luke 18:1) 

But who’s listening to Jesus these days eh? Not too many of us, because His way entails walking on the straight and narrow path, but we, with our sinful flesh, like the broad and winding road that leads to destruction. No wonder so many of us shy away from being true disciples of Christ in these supposed modern times, we just can’t handle the level of difficulty, and self-sacrifice it might entail. For as Jesus said: ‘If any man will come after me (desires to follow me), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

And in real life, those few words say quite a lot my people! It’s a big undertaking and we should not determine to follow it until and unless we see exactly what it entails. And as one commentator says: ‘To be a disciple of Jesus, He advises us to sit down and calculate the cost to see if we want to truly follow him. Jesus cannot simply be our Savior. He must also be the Lord of our lives. We must devote ourselves to him fully.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth. 

So, the initial stage is to weigh the pros and cons of following Jesus and see if we have the necessary parts to do so. As Jesus says: ‘For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?’ (Luke 14:28) Therefore, we must first do our due diligence. Then, after weighing all the pros and cons, we must make a sure decision to follow Christ. And the first thing that entails is denying oneself. We have to stop focusing on ourselves and focus on God and what He desires of us. 

For ‘Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self-ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing.’ And Bruh Paul tells us in Romans: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:5-8) 

That means if we keep on being selfish and think about the things of the flesh that our carnal mind obviously likes, we cannot serve Christ. And so doing, we die daily to ourselves. Which, as John wrote in his first epistle involves having the LOVE of Christ in us. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion (heart) from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:16-17) 

So we need to show the LOVE of Christ by daily sacrificing where necessary, offering ourselves on our own cross, like Jesus did, for ‘the cross is an agent of death.’ Then it’s absolutely necessary that we follow Jesus, which means let him direct our lives, show us where He wants us to go and what He needs us to do on His behalf. What did He say when He called the first disciples: ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Matt. 4:19) That means to do as He says and as He does, to follow in His footsteps. 

As this commentary tells us: ‘Discipleship is a personal, passionate devotion to a person, not to principles or doctrines or cause. It’s a devotion to Christ first, then devotion to His teaching because of an existing personal passionate devotion to the person of Christ. Surrender and dependence on Christ.’ Yes, it’s all about Christ my people! That’s why Jesus said to those who believed in Him. ‘If you continue (abide) in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

It’s only when we truly abide in, live by His word are we truly His disciples. As He said again: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE, hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you.’ (John15:12-14) That means simply doing whatever He commands us to do, which encompasses an overwhelming devotion to Him that shows up in these statements. 

‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren (brothers), and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:26-27) Now obviously that doesn’t mean truly hating our family and ourselves, but simply willing to forsake them for His cause. No, following Christ is not easy, but as I keep saying, if you’re sincere, He will help you through the difficult times, and your life will be mucho interesting and adventurous, and worth every bit of the sacrifice. 

And I Hope that gives us a li’l background on what true discipleship in Christ’s ministry entails.(smile) Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we expect to receive divine help, then we’ve got to clean up our act, starting…RIGHT NOW! Much LOVE!

…to be a true disciple of Jesus…takes a lot of belly and backbone… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ         

Today’s Scrip-Bit   9 June 2023   2 Corinthians 12:9a.

09 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Corinthians 12:9a.        And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weaknesses.

And then it was Friday, with the attendant shouting of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But in my area the thanking of God was not only because it was Friday and the end of the work week, we had a much more important shout of ‘Thank God for some rain at last!’ 

Yes friends, some time in the morning hours I heard some most welcome raindrops beating against my window pane, and although I had to drive through the drizzle to get to the doctor later on, I was happy to do so, for our land needed some heavenly blessing in the worst way. Let’s hope that some of that heavenly blessing also fell on the areas with forest fires, so that they can be put out more quickly and stop spreading the polluted air like they are currently doing. And all of God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Amen!’ 

And as per my ongoing illness, the doctor and I did not see eye to eye on the remedies for it, but you would have been proud of me, I was a well behaved Christian gentleman and just listened quietly to what he had to say, and will try to take his advice, although I don’t believe it will solve my current problems, and simply continue doing my own thing. 

I’m sure of this one thing though, these problems too will pass, for with the Lord guiding me, I will not be sick forever, and even with the illness, I know that the Lord’s grace will help me to get through whatever I need to do. For as Bruh Paul says after he asked the Lord to remove a thorn in his flesh three times. ‘And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weaknesses.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a) 

And believe me, several times I have recently experienced that power in my weakness. I guess it must have been exhibited before, but it’s only lately that I’ve noticed it. (smile) Although I don’t know if I’m quite ready to say like Bruh Paul did: ‘Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ (2 Cor. 12:9b) I doubt that if I will glory in them, but when they do show up, I’ll definitely turn to the Lord for His strengthening power. 

And I certainly haven’t reached this level as yet, where Burh Paul declares (yesss!!!): ‘Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10) Now, I might suffer the bad stuff for Christ’s sake, and be strong in doing so, but I don’t know if I’ll take pleasure in it. (smile) 

Bruh Paul’s zeal is just too much for me. He was an exception to the rule. And I don’t think that the Lord expects us all to have that level of zeal, but I’m sure that we can all come up higher that we’re currently doing. If we just look around us, I’m sure we’ll see the lack of direction, the loneliness, the searching, the emptiness that so many of our fellow men are currently feeling and experiencing. 

Although we are seem so connected by technology, in actual fact we are very disconnected from each other. Just look on any gathering of individuals and you’ll see most, if not all of them on their cellphones, doing whatever, while their friends and families around them are doing the same thing. So, there’s no communication whatsoever with those directly next to them. And sadly, that’s what’s happening all around the world, despite the many almost instant methods of communication, we’re turning away from each other. 

And when you include the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic, it just makes matters even worse. And if we ever hope to survive as a strong and vibrant society, we have to get back to the basics of true communication, caring and sharing from deep in our hearts, not the surface stuff that’s going on now. And again, only the LOVE of Christ can bring us back to that place of trust, compassion and kindness that we once had. Thus, it is very necessary, of the utmost importance, for we believers to stir up ourselves, each other and those whom we know are needy in some area. 

We are Christ’s ambassadors, His earthly agents, His hands and feet down here, and He’s expecting us to do much better than we’re currently doing. When He comes back, He expects to find plenty of strong faith on the earth, and that will only happen if we get up and get going. So please, for Christ’s sake, for the LOVE and gratitude we claim to feel towards Him, let’s make the effort to get up and get going nuh. Besides, that’s our bounden duty as believers. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, asking for the help we need to handle our problems and thus make this world a better place for Christ. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And it’s obvious that if we expect to receive positive answers to our petitions, then we also need to make positive changes in our lives. Much LOVE!

…it takes two to tango…one hand to wash the other…that means….help from God comes with obedience to His will and word…  

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ         

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 May 2023 Psalm 8:9.

26 May 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 8:9.       O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.

‘Sunshine, lollipops and roses!’ That’s what it seems like on this bright, sunshiny but somewhat cool Friday morning! Now, that certainly adds some enthusiasm to our shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And our God is most definitely in fine form this morning, for when I opened the Good Library just now to find something to talk about, it opened unto the Book of Psalms, in particular Psalm 8, which most appropriately celebrates ‘God’s Excellent Name.’ And so it should be. 

Bruh David writes: ‘O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) hast thou ordained (established) strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still (silence) the enemy and the avenger.’ (Ps. 8:1-2) And that last verse might seem insignificant, but it was quoted by Jesus after His celebrated entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when He cleansed the temple of all the money changers and the other evil-doings that were taking place there, then began healing the lame and the blind. 

The Bible reports it thus: ‘And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings (nursing infants) thou hast perfected praise. And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.’ (Matt. 21:15-17) 

Ah friends, it must have been fun and eye-opening to walk around with Jesus and listen to His conversations with the ruling Jewish elite. He certainly didn’t mince words with them or cut them any slack, just put them in their place in a gentlemanly fashion (smile) And Bruh Paul in his first letter to the church at Corinth takes that idea even further, when he says: ‘But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound (put to shame) the things which are mighty; 

And base (insignificant) things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things which are not, to bring to nought (nothing) things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto (became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1:27-31) And just for your information, (smile) that scripture about glorying in the Lord can be found in Jeremiah 9.23-24, and 2 Corinthians 10:17. Please look them up. 

So, we have ascertained that the Lord, in His unfathomable wisdom and awesome power has made that which the world considers wise or important to seem unwise and insignificant, so that none of His human creation can glory in what little success and power they might enjoy for the short time here on earth. But although He has made sure that man stays in his rightful place, it doesn’t mean that He doesn’t LOVE and cherish His most wonderful creation. 

Listen as Bruh David continues his theorizing on God’s incomparable and incomprehensible behaviour towards man. He says: ‘When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest (pays attention or cares for) him?’ (Ps. 8:3-4) 

Now those are very good questions my brethren. Why would such a magnificent and omnipotent being make us and then shower so many blessings on us eh? The answer’s simple: We are the only thing He didn’t speak into existence, but He formed us with His own two hands, from the very dust of the earth, then breathed His own breath of life into us. That means we are totally His, and He LOVES us like He LOVES nothing else that He’s created. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that He’s done what Bruh David writes: ‘For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and thou hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.’ (Ps. 8:5-7) 

And that should not surprise us, for after God made the physical universe and made man, the Good Library tells us: ‘And the Lord God took the man (Adam) and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress (tend, cultivate) it and to keep it.’ (Gen. 2:15) That was the beautiful and prosperous garden the Lord created to provide all the necessities of life for His wonderful creation, He so LOVINGLY termed, ‘man.’ No wonder Bruh David could end the psalm with this marvellous and magnificent verse: ‘O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.’ (Ps. 8:9) 

Unfortunately though, in these troubled and rather calamitous times the Lord’s name is not revered as much as it should be. In fact, it’s more blasphemed than ever, with a staunch, but foolish movement to rid our society of His presence. But we who hold him in awesome reverence know that that will never happen, because He long ago proclaimed that He will never give His power and glory to anyone, nor His praise to graven images.(Is. 42:8) And He has both the power and temperament to make that be true. However, in our current circumstance, we down here on earth do need a ton of help from Him to fix what’s wrong. 

Thus, let’s go right now to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant and ask for divine assistance. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’

Now, after all that pleading, let’s get serious and clean up our act, for that’s the only way we’ll ever receive divine assistance. Much LOVE!

…the Lord LOVES us with an undying LOVE…but He WILL NOT put up with…or reward constant disobedience…   

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ             

Today’s Scrip-Bit   12 May 2023 Psalm 128:1.

12 May 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 128:1.        Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

Oh friends, this Friday morning, as we declare (yesss!!!) ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ we also have to consider having five straight days of wonderful sunshine, because that seems like a distinct possibility! Wow! My trusty computer tells me it’s 23 and sunny. In that case, we might just need to think about praying for a li’l rain to cool things down if the weather keeps being so wonderful in my neck of the woods. (smile) As we would say, it’s either feast or famine. 

But here’s an interesting angle on it all. I just opened the Good Library and it opened unto the Book of Psalms, and my eyes were led to this particular psalm, Psalm 128, one that I’ve never paid much attention to, but it does contribute a wise and wonderful message in its title which simply says: ‘Fear the Lord.’  Now that’s certainly a tidbit of wisdom if there ever was one! 

And why is that you ask? Well, first off, the fear he’s referring to is not the emotion of fear or fright, but one of reverence, of respect, of worship, although we should also fear the Lord in the other respect, because the only thing as powerful as His LOVE is His wrath, and we certainly don’t want to feel the latter. Just look at what the Israelites suffered for their stubborn disobedience. And Jesus did say that we should fear the Lord and not man, because He is the only one who could destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt. 10:28) 

However, let’s listen to the psalmist as he declares: (wow!!!) ‘Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands (the fruit of thy labour): happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of (in the heart of) thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.’ (Ps. 128:1-3) 

Mama oh Mama! Yuh hear that mih people? If we fear the Lord then our house will indeed be blessed, enjoying the fruits of our labour, with a fruitful wife and wonderful children! Now what more can a man ask of this life eh? Nothing really! But the important thing is that only happens when we reverence the Lord and walk in His ways. And that’s something so many of us in these evil and unfortunate times can’t seem to understand, otherwise we’d be doing just that. 

But instead so many of us are turning away from the Lord to other insecure and worthless ventures, and many of us who claim to still believe are not truly walking in His fear and commandments, but have one foot in the world and one in the kingdom, trying to keep our chances alive by playing both sides against the middle. But friends, I ‘m here to tell you that doesn’t work. You must choose either one or the other and go after it wholeheartedly. And remember Jesus said it so plainly: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) 

And that’s no lie! When you seek God first and foremost, He will indeed give you all that you need. Why do you think Bruh David wrote: ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want?’ Because he knew for a fact, from personal experience, that if he sincerely sought the Lord above all else, He would look after him, both physically and spiritually. And the Lord will do the same for anyone who sincerely seeks and reverences Him. He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us, and He is faithful to keep His promises. 

And if you still don’t believe me, then listen as the psalmist continues: ‘Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.’ (Ps. 128:4-6) Oh my people, why are we so foolish and adamant about turning away from God eh, or not paying Him His proper respect and due, since in so many places of His Word it says that’s necessary to have a good life. 

Look at Psalm 1, which pointedly tells us: ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly (wicked), nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate (ponder by talking to himself) day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers (channels) of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’ (Ps. 1:1-3)  

Now that’s not rocket science my brethren, so why can’t we simply accept and live it eh? Where’s the faith in Jesus Christ we’re supposed to have? Obviously it’s sadly lacking, otherwise we wouldn’t be living the sub-standard and mediocre Christian lives we’re living. Now listen to these opening verses of Psalm 119: ‘Blessed are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.’ (Ps. 119:1-3) 

There again friends, it says we will be blessed if we walk in the way of the Lord. Simple common sense my brethren! But sorry, I forgot that common sense no longer exists in our society, we just have a herd mentality, and foolishly run with the foolish crowd.  But there’s hope for us yet, because with the Lord, there’s always hope, so let’s go to Him now, through our Friday Chant and ask for His divine help with our problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s wake up nuh friends, and do what we know we’re supposed to do, if we expect the Lord’s help. Much LOVE!

…it takes two to tango…the Lord won’t help…unless we’re obedient… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ   

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